1 Scripture Memmory: Psalm 19:7 & 8 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The Bible is God s Word, it is the literal Word of God (Continued) 2 III. Inerrant - without error, without contradiction - it is pure and tried by God before delivery to man A. Inerrant: Introduction: a. Every book of the O.T. save Ester had been found and translated in Qumran. They predate Christ by 500 years and they match the Bible, without error, that you hold in your hand today. That is over 2,500 years!!! That means the Roman Empire, the fall of Rome, the Dark Ages, the Reformation, the Industrial Age, all up to modern times. God sovereignly watched over His Word. No changes, no additions, no deletions. The liberal mantra of a corrupted document with additions over the years is a fabrication of their prejudiced imaginations. No comparative texts exist to establish any changes in the Word of God. b. We substantial portions of the gospel of Mark dating from 45 AD. They are the same as the Bible which you hold in your hand today. c. There are no comparative manuscripts, New Testament or Old, whereby error or changes can be found and established to be true. All such claims are based on prejudicial predisposition, not on cognitive fact subjected to the scientific method. In the project below, first read the heading (Example Pure, then read the passages listed under this specific heading, lastly, go back and write a brief one sentence summery of this heading, relying upon the passages, as it relates to the inerrancy of the Word of God. Do not write a definition of the heading, but rather how this heading and the passages reveal the concept that the Word of God is without error. 1. Pure (tried, perfect, sure, pure, true, upright) a. Psalm 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times. b. Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. c. Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. d. Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. e. Psalm 19:9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. f. Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is upright; And all His work is done in faithfulness.
g. Psalm 111:7 The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure. 3 2. Unbroken a. John 10:35 to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), b. It is not just that God gave His inerrant Word to the Apostles and Prophets, but that He divinely watched over it and preserved it so that we have it today in it s pure and unbroken truth. 3. Authoritative a. Matthew 7:28 & 29 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. b. I Thessalonians 2:13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. c. I Thessalonians 4:8 Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. d. Titus 2:15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. B. Eternal - God has sovereignty watched over it and shepherded throughout the ages 1. No historical evidence exists of changes in the Word of God. a. No historical manuscript ever found contradicts the Word of God and this principle. All, to the contrary substantiate it. Manuscripts dated from 45 AD concerning the N.T., match with what we have today. Manuscripts dating from 500 BC concerning the O.T. match what we have today. All appeals to multiple writers, changes through addition or subtraction, evolution based on cultural and political biases and expediencies of the copiers and translators are based solely on the prejudicial views of those making the claims, but not upon the existence of contradictory manuscripts. b. Those making such claims cannot appeal to manuscript A in the library such and such and manuscript B in another library, which support the claim of changes. Rather all manuscripts found support the reality of God s sovereign care of the scriptures. The integrity of the text is more established than any of the other Ancient Near Eastern Texts. 2. But even without this overwhelming evidence we would hold this to be true based upon the Word of God itself.
In the project below, circle the key word or words that establish the Word of God as eternal. 4 a. Psalm 12:7 Thou, O Lord, wilt keep them; Thou wilt preserve him from this generation forever. b. Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. c. Psalm 102:18 This will be written for the generation to come; That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. d. Psalm 105:8 He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, e. Psalm 117:2 For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord! f. Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. g. Psalm 119:152 Of old I have known from Thy testimonies, That Thou hast founded them forever. h. Isaiah 40:6-8 A voice says, "Call out." Then he answered, "What shall I call out?" All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. i. Matthew 5:18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. j. Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. k. MAR 13:31 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. l. LUK 16:17 "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
m. LUK 21:33 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. n. JOH 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), o. 1PE 1:24 & 25 For, "All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord abides forever. "And this is the word which was preached to you. p. 2JO 1:2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Now make a master list of these key phrases in the space provided: 5 Key Word or Phrase # of X s Appears
6 3. This does not mean that through poor stewardship the Word of God cannot be lost to an individual, people group or nation. a. During the Dark Ages, the Word of God was lost to only a privileged few. b. During times of persecution, the Word of God has been scarce. c. Through political oppression of communism or Islam, the Word of God has become scarce. d. God Himself has judged his own people with the removal of the Word of God. As you read the passages below, make a brief notation below the passage on your explanation of this verse in the context of this study section. 1.) Isaiah 5:13 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst. 2.) Ezekiel 20:3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God," Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live, "declares the Lord God," I will not be inquired of by you. "' 3.) Ezekiel 20:31 "And when you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live," declares the Lord God, "I will not be inquired of by you. 4.) Amos 8:12 "And people will stagger from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, But they will not find it. 5.) Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 3. In the space below, write a summery statement concerning the eternal nature of the Word of God: C. Authoritative - God s Word judges man, man does not judge God s Word 1. HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. In the space below give an example of a way in which man seeks to judge God s word rather than having God s Word judge him. 2. God s Word is supreme over all experiences. It is by God s Word that all experiences are judged. Once again, man does not judge God s Word. James 4:11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. 2CO 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- a. If God s Word says, YES and we experience, no, then we hold YES to be true. 1.) If God s Word says Jesus is returning soon and we experience that it is a long time, 2.) then we reevaluate our perspective of time and hold God s word to be true and our perspective to be false. 3.) Give another example of where God s Word says yes and we seem to be experiencing no. b. If God s Word says, NO and we experience yes, then we hold NO to be true. 1.) If God s Word says that we are to love our wife and not to love another woman, and we experience that we do not love our wife and we do love another woman, 2.) then we hold our feelings, our experience to be false and God s Word to be true, we deny our experience and obey God s Word. 3.) Give another example of where God s Word says no and we seem to be experiencing yes.
8 3. God s Word Judges Morality DAN 9:7 "Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Lord, but to us open shame... DAN 9:14 " for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.. a. We do not judge God s actions, when God s actions seem to be questionable, we judge our own sinful morality and finite mind by God s Word. b. We do not question the actions of God, rather our reaction to God s actions bring into question our values. c. Give an example of a situation where man judges God s morality on the basis of his finite understanding rather than trusting in God s infinite understanding. 4. God s Word Judges Our Behavior and Actions 1CO 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1CO 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness"; a. Results do not judge our behavior or actions, be they good or bad. b. Rather God s Word judges them be they seemingly good or bad. In the space below, give an example of each 1.) Good results that violate the Word of God are bad. 2.) Bad results that conform to the Word of God are good. D. Spiritual Food - man needs continual nourishment from the whole Word of God, not a simple one time reading or surface knowledge of the scripture. As you mature in Christ it will slowly dawn upon you, I am hearing the Word three times a week and not able to take it all in ; I am reading the Word every day and just barely remembering it from one day to the next ; I have memorized many verses but am only applying a fraction of what I have memorized it is at this time that either satan, or the flesh, or the world or all three will challenge you to cut back and take in the Word of God in proportion to that which you can understand and apply. The fallacy of this is that the Word of God is not simply intellectual material for application but is as well spiritual food. Just as you cannot tell me everything you ate in the past week, more or less the past month. Just as you cannot tell me the exact dietary benefits of all you ate, just as you do not use 100% of all that you take in for nourishment and yet it is of still value and still essential that you eat daily, so it is still of benefit and still essential that you are constantly nourished on the Word of God. As you read the passages below, circle the words or phrases that convey the concept of God s Word as spiritual food or nourishment.
JOB 23:12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. 9 Psalm 119:103 How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts. Ezekiel 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 1TI 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. In The space below using only the information from the verses above, write a summary statement concerning the concept of the Word of God as spiritual food or nourishment. Do not add anything that cannot be cross-referenced from these verses and do not leave anything out that is revealed in these verses. 1. Sometimes food is tasty. Sometimes food is distasteful Sometimes food is exciting. 2. Sometimes food is bland. Healthy people do not let these experiences dictate, as a lifestyle, whether or not they eat. A person who every time he sits down has an exciting mountain top experience at the dinner table, is a person who is famished between meals. 3. A person who expects the Word of God to be a continuous mountain top experience has not come to grips with the fact that it is food, not drugs. 4. A person who is only exposed to the Word of God twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays has the same results in his life in terms of spiritual energy as a person who only eats twice a week. The food may taste unusually good, he may be famished for it, he may just make it there and get his boost, but it is not a healthy lifestyle. Thus the statement, I get boosted on Sunday, but am dragging by Wednesday, I cannot wait till the Wednesday service to get recharged, reflects a person who is not eating well spiritually, on his own, throughout the day.
Below are listed four ways to feed ourselves spiritually. Find a Bible Verse to go with each one. 10 a. Reading God s Word b. Praying over God s Word in our daily Quiet Time Alone With God. c. Memorizing God s Word d. Meditating on God s Word as we review in our minds the verses we have already memorized.
QUIET TIMES ALONE WITH GOD JEREMIAH 15:16 THEME: The Bible Is God s Word PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: Psalm 33:11 How does this passage relate to the theme? 11 When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life? PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17 How does this passage relate to the theme? When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life? PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: I Peter 1:24 & 25; II John 1:2 How does this passage relate to the theme? When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life?
QUIET TIMES ALONE WITH GOD JEREMIAH 15:16 THEME: The Bible Is God s Word PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: Hebrews 4:12 How does this passage relate to the theme? 12 When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life? PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: Jeremiah 15:16 How does this passage relate to the theme? When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life? PASSAGE FOR MEDITATION: I Timothy 4:6 How does this passage relate to the theme? When I reflect on this passage, does it primarily convict, encourage or challenge me? Explain why: How will I apply this passage to my life in the coming week and is there anything I can do today to make this passage a part of my Christian life?
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